CONTENTS Acknowledgement viii Abstract . ix Overview x CONTENTS xi List of Figures . xiv 1 Tropical Urbanism . 1 1.1 Introduction . 2 1.2 Principles of Tropical Urbanism . 2 1.3 Tropical Regions in the World 3 2 Tropical Urbanism in Kerala . 5 2.1 Climate 6 2.1.1 Monsoons in Kerala . 6 2.1.2 Tropical Warm and Humid Climate of Kerala 7 2.2 Geography . 7 2.3 Settlements in Kerala 7 2.3.1 Origin and settlement pattern in Kerala . 8 2.4 Influence of Tropical Climate in Architecture 12 3 Case Studies in Kerala . 15 3.1 East Fort, Thiruvananthapuram . 16 3.1.1 Introduction 16 3.1.2 Planning of East Fort Area . 17 3.1.3 Tropical Climatic Influence on the Fort Area 20 3.1.4 Building Orientation 21 3.2 Mattancherry, Kochi . 21 3.2.1 Introduction 21 3.2.2 Planning factors features of Mattancherry . 23 3.2.3 Climate Response to the urban fabric of Mattancherry . 24 4 Parallel Study with other Tropical Regions in the World 25 4.1 Indonesia . 26 4.2 Brazil . 30 4.3 Singapore . 32 4.4 Cairns, Australia 33 5 Tropical Urbanism Principles 35 5.1 Ventilation Corridors. 36 5.2 Interweave buildings with green . 36 5.3 Block Orientation 36 5.4 Breezy Streets 36 5.5 Lot Disposition 37 5.6 Shady streets 37 5.7 Wide sidewalks . 37 5.8 Street Hierarchy. 38 5.9 Short, Walkable Streets . 38 5.10 Outdoor Rooms 38 5.11 Cool Courtyards . 38 5.12 Permeable Buildings 39 5.13 Deep Overhangs 39 5.14 Stack Ventilation . 39 5.15 Ventilation Opening Size. 39 5.16 Insulation . 40 5.17 Bio Climatic Design 40 6 Site Study: Alappuzha 41 6.1 Introduction . 42 6.2 History . 43 6.3 Evolution . 43 6.4 Nodes and Linkages 45 6.5 Urban Blocks . 45 6.6 Figure Ground . 45 6.7 Street Hierarchy. 46 6.8 Land Use Pattern . 46 6.9 Building Use Pattern . 47 6.10 Building Height . 47 6.11 City Image ability 48 6.12 Settlement Study 48 6.12.1 Gujarati Settleent . 48 6.12.2 Market Area . 49 6.12.3 Mullakkal Area 49 6.12.4 Konkani Settlement 49 6.12.5 Fishermen Settlement 49 6.12.6 Old Port Area . 49 6.12.7 Canal Premise 50 6.13 Building Typology Study 50 6.13.1 Independent house with work Spaces 50 6.13.2 Independent Haveli Type . 50 6.13.3 Independent Agraharam . 51 6.13.4 Cluster Housing . 51 6.13.5 Commercial Typology . 52 6.13.6 Religious Typology 52 6.14 Canal Edge Conditions 54 6.15 Alapuzzha – Site Study Inference . 55 6.15.1 Issues 55 6.15.2 Potentials 56 6.15.3 Objectives 56 7 Design proposal for Alappuzha . 57 7.1 Tropical Urban Elements in Alappuzha 58 7.2 Design Concern . 59 7.3 Proposals for Alappuzha . 60 7.4 Urban Design Guidelines for Alappuzha 70